TC30 Safety Switches

[jcoleman1953]

Hi all - I am having a maddening problem with the safety circuit on my TC30 tractor that has defied all attempts at resolving. I have looked at the machine, and I could easily bypass all of the safety switches (seat, PTO, tranny and brake). Other than the obvious safety concerns, I have been told that doing so would leave the fuel pump in a constantly "on" state, trying to pump fuel even when the tractor is not running; i.e., ignition in "off" position, key removed. Does anyone know if this is true, or was somebody just trying to frighten me into leaving the safety switches intact? Thanks.

 

[Roadworthy]

I don't think the fuel pump would continue with the key off and removed. You could probably confirm easily enough by doing your bypass thing. You could also bypass the safety switches one at a time until you identify the culprit.

 

[CoyPatton]

Hi all - I am having a maddening problem with the safety circuit on my TC30 tractor that has defied all attempts at resolving. I have looked at the machine, and I could easily bypass all of the safety switches (seat, PTO, tranny and brake). Other than the obvious safety concerns, I have been told that doing so would leave the fuel pump in a constantly "on" state, trying to pump fuel even when the tractor is not running; i.e., ignition in "off" position, key removed. Does anyone know if this is true, or was somebody just trying to frighten me into leaving the safety switches intact? Thanks.

I do not know your tractor, so I am not sure about the fuel pump running all the time, but bypass all the switches but one, then add them back in one at a time. If you still have the issue with only one connected, bypass it as well and test again.
You mentioned it, but safety is of great concern as you have disconnected these safety switches.

 

[Anakist]

What's the problem?

 

[jcoleman1953]

What's the problem?

Yeah, sorry, guess I should have given more detail. Sometimes it works perfectly. Then at random times, it will only start and run with trans shift in neutral (hydrostatic) AND brake set. It should start and run in just neutral without brake set, as long as I'm in the seat, but it won't. As soon as I try to put it in gear OR take the brake off, it shuts down, as if I've gotten up out of the seat. At one point it was traced to a relay somewhere, which was replaced. Worked for a couple of weeks, then started the whole thing over again. I don't really feel like spending a couple hundred bucks every month or so to fix what "might" be wrong. Hence my thoughts about bypassing everything. My wife and I are the only ones who run it, and she always shuts the whole thing down before jumping off. I'm not quite that cautious, but I learned on old Fergusons and the like, so I'm pretty careful.

 

[dlctcg]

I would first try bypassing only the seat safety switch. It is simple & easy to get to & do.... & based on your description, all your symptoms seem to point in that direction (the seat safety switch circuit).

One other thing to look at if your seat has a tab that compresses the switch when you sit in it... Make sure the tab is making good contact with the switch, On our TC40D the rivets that held the tab in place wore out & caused it not to make correct switch engagement some of the time, & tractor would act as yours is.

If it is the normal N.H. safety seat switch, with just two wires, you can just pull the plug at the switch & place a jumper across the two terminal in the plug.... If that resolves the problem it is either the switch or your seat not making correct contact with it when someone is in the seat....

I personally wouldn't bypass the neutral sensing safety switch or the parking brake safety switch, but that is me.... also I believe the parking brake safety switch also controls the parking brake light, if you machine has one... If it does I think you will have the parking brake light illuminated all the time.

I'm in the process of adding a seat safety switch bypass switch on our TC40D, so I can leave it working as designed 99% of the time but allow me to switch it off for certain times I need to get slightly up off the seat to see something.